2010 Participating Speakers

Leslie Sbrocco
The Thirsty Girl

Leslie Sbrocco

Sbrocco’s first book, Wine for Women: A Guide to Buying, Pairing and Sharing Wine (William Morrow), has been excerpted by two national magazines - Redbook and Family Circle - and won the coveted Georges Duboeuf  Best Wine Book of the Year award. Her second book, The Simple & Savvy Wine Guide, (William Morrow) was released to wide acclaim and she is currently at work on her third book, Adventures of a Thirsty Girl.

As Tasting Notes columnist for Epicurious.com, and contributor to WineReview Online and the San Francisco Chronicle,  Sbrocco's monthly musings are enjoyed by thousands.

Whether appearing on television as the wine expert for the cooking show Seasonings, cable television’s On the Vine series, CBS's Evening Magazine, or in regular appearances on the Today Show, Sbrocco's humor and passion resonates with viewers. Leslie’s current television project is as host of the PBS series Check Please! for which she has won both the coveted James Beard award and three Emmy awards. Sbrocco is also a featured judge on the upcoming PBS national series, The Winemakers.

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Gloria Maroti Frazee

Gloria oversees Wine Spectator School, which offers wine courses for consumers as well as restaurant, retail and winery sales staff at winespectatorschool.com. She also conducts wine seminars internationally.

Gloria is a graduate of the Kellogg Graduate School of Management and worked in the marketing department at a large winery. Gloria managed brands ranging in production from 10,000 to 1.2 million cases and developed nationally-implemented wine appreciation, sales and service training programs.

Gloria eventually found her dream job at Wine Spectator, where she launched Wine Spectator School. The on-line courses include video-clips with winemakers, tutored tastings to share with friends, worksheets, study guides and maps.

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Charlie Arturaola

The world renowned Sommelier -Wine Educator Charlie Arturaola has an impressive palate. He continues to work with the best and most prestigious oeno-gastronomic names.   He can often be found at many of the USA's most famous wine festivals, such as Boston Wine Experience, NYC Wine Experience, the Slow Food’s Golden Glass Wine Competition in San Francisco, Jackson Hole Wine Auction,, and the Aspen Food & Wine Classics.  Charlie was one of Myriad Restaurant Group’s wine directors, opened Academia di Vino NYC- as well as working at many high profile independent restaurants. He started on Cunard Cruise Lines.
 
Internationally he has been featured as speaker at FENAVIN, in Spain, at the Argentina Wine Awards in Mendoza, at Paladar do Brasil in Sao Paulo and Vinitaly in Verona.   He is the founding Sommelier of the Masters of Food & Wine at The Park Hyatt Mendoza Argentina.

In addition of his judging, teaching and speaking engagements, Charlie has written articles for USA Weekend Wine Watch, the Art of The Times and Diario del Vino , Mexico.

Arturaola is currently starring with winemaker Michele Rolland and Sommelier Andreas Larssen in Latin America. He is fluent Spanish, Portuguese, French and Italian languages.

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Seminar Schedule

Friday, February 26, 2010

6:00 – 7:00 PM         
“Wine 101”– A Fun-Filled, Crash Course on Wine Basics with Leslie Sbrocco - SOLD OUT

Spend an entertaining and informative hour with wine author, international tasting judge and TV host Leslie Sbrocco, who is a regular guest on the TODAY show, lead judge on PBS television's "The Winemakers" and founder of the new multi-media company ThirstyGirl.  Discover the secrets of tasting wine like a pro to help you confidently navigate store aisles as well as the Wine Expo’s Grand Tasting. Learn the basics of what to look for in wine, how to pair it with your favorite foods, and tips for integrating wine into your daily life.  The seminar is also full of tips on serving, storing, and entertaining with wine.  Eight wines will be tasted from sparkling wine to white, red, and dessert wine. This seminar is sure to sell out quickly, so register early!  Price: $30.00

7:30 – 8:30 PM         
Wine Spectator Presents “Old World, New Wines: DO La Mancha, Spain”

If you're hunting for flavor-packed reds at value prices, look no further. Spain remains the world leader in total acreage planted to vineyards and its many wine regions provide great variety. Take a trip off the beaten path and tour one of Spain's emerging wine regions, DO La Mancha. The top reds are based on the versatile Tempranillo grape, which is increasingly blended with Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. Even better, the country has also benefited from a string of high quality vintages. Get the inside track on the DO, grapes and wineries with Wine Spectator’s director of education, Gloria Maroti Frazee and the prestigious sommelier Charlie Arturaola and taste wonderful wines from Spain. Price: $30.00

Saturday, February 27, 2010

1:00 – 2:00 PM          
“Wine 101”– A Fun-Filled, Crash Course on Wine Basics with Leslie Sbrocco - SOLD OUT

Spend an entertaining and informative hour with wine author, international tasting judge and TV host Leslie Sbrocco, who is a regular guest on the TODAY show, lead judge on PBS television's "The Winemakers" and founder of the new multi-media company ThirstyGirl.  Discover the secrets of tasting wine like a pro to help you confidently navigate store aisles as well as the Wine Expo’s Grand Tasting. Learn the basics of what to look for in wine, how to pair it with your favorite foods, and tips for integrating wine into your daily life.  The seminar is also full of tips on serving, storing, and entertaining with wine.  Eight wines will be tasted from sparkling wine to white, red, and dessert wine.  This seminar is sure to sell out quickly, so register early!  Price: $30.00

2:00 – 3:00 PM          
Portugal And The Rise of Touriga Nacional

Portugal is blessed with many unique, indigenous varieties. Touriga Nacional is the grape of Port wine – dark, rich and unctuous. Many skilled winemakers are working with the Touriga grape to create wines of finesse and complexity. They are Portugal's big reds. Unlike their neighbors Tempranillo, they are not about tannin and a certain hint of leather and stables (not that there is anything wrong with that), but rather, a certain ripeness of the grape, and a texture that spreads out across the palate with a subtle but intense flavor. That said each winemaker has its own interpretation of the varietal and its terroir.  Taste some wonderful wines from Portugal at this session. Price: $25.00

3:00 – 4:00 PM          
Wine Spectator Presents "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Wine, but Were Afraid to Ask"

Come prepared to taste a range of wines and ask your burning wine questions, whether you're a consumer or wine professional. Uncover the mysteries --and dispel a few myths-- in this lively seminar with Wine Spectator's director of education, Gloria Maroti Frazee. The questions we'll certainly answer include... What should I look for in a wine? How does temperature affect a wine -- and what about stemware? When should a wine be decanted -- and when is it ready to drink? And what's a foolproof way to order wine in a restaurant? ...along with any other questions you want to throw at Gloria. Price: $35.00

Sunday, February 28, 2010 - Trade Only

 3:15 - 4:15 PM
A Power Tasting Of Wines From Castilla-La Mancha: Wine Soldiers Needed!

Charlie Arturaola will lead a wine lab about indigenous and international grapes from Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. If you have never heard of grapes such as Macabeo, Airen, Garnatxa and Bobal this is your opportunity. Come to this seminar to experience unfamiliar grapes and new facets of old favorites. We'll power taste 10 wines showing the breadth of possibilities from this arid region. Learn why Castilla-La Mancha is making perfect wines for today; it's all about QPR.  Taste old world wines with new world attitude.  In the seminar you'll learn about the past, the present and the future of the largest wine region in the world. By the way if you don't know what QPR is you better be there!  Admission is open to registered members of the trade attending on Sunday.